Sometimes people try to “game the system,” to cut corners, and cheat. This can be especially true when they think no one is watching them. I have no watcher, no gatekeeper or minder to tsk tsk me if I do something to violate my fast. And because I am not of the Muslim faith, I have no imam or holy person to whom I am accountable. And yet, I find myself minding and watching myself to honor the commitment I made at the beginning of this holy month.

Today I awoke with a really good head start on a really bad cold. You are not fasting today. I acknowledged to myself. I did read the guidance on fasting and illness. You can’t break your fast if you feel weak or ill because of the fast itself. But a good old fashioned upper respiratory infection has laid me low.

I’ve missed half of Ramadan, I complained to my partner. First it was all that traveling and now I’m sick. I’ve not fasted more days than I have. At some point, the law of diminishing returns kicks in. I’m not ready to throw in the towel just yet, but, depending on how I feel upon waking it could be another non-fasting day.

I have fallen asleep three times since I started writing this, I think I’d better sign off and get to sleep. Tomorrow, as noted by Ms. Scarlet, is another day. And so it is, and so it goes.